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Report to Garrett says dam species will die

Tony Moore | November 26, 2008 - 12:56PM

An independent expert called on by Federal Environment Minister
Peter Garrett to study the Mary River's lungfish, cod and turtle
species says they will not survive if the Traveston Crossing Dam
goes ahead.

Associate Professor Keith Walker from Adelaide's School of Earth
and Environmental Sciences said it was "extremely unlikely" the dam
could provide the breeding habitat to needed to support
self-sustaining populations of the species.

"In many cases, the EIS makes assumptions on the basis of scant
evidence and draws conclusions about impacts with little or no
justification," Professor Walker wrote in his November report,
requested by Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett.

It is also critical of the steps being proposed to help the
endangered species, concluding the fauna has "significant risks" of
failure.

"Most of the impact assessments suggest that the dam would have
no significant impact, or, if there were an impact, it would be
compensated by mitigation and offset trategies that are often
ill-defined and individually have significant risks of
failure."

The study rejects claims that a Freshwater Species Conservation
Centre proposed for the Traveston Dam site was a strong enough
feature to prevent the four species dying out.

"The EIS offsets these claims by indicating that the project
includes a number of sustainability strategies, the principal one
being a Freshwater Species Conservation Centre(FSCC).

"The need for the centre is a reflection of how little is known
of the biology and ecology of the iconic species," he said.

"This information should be available before a project on the
scale of Traveston Crossing Dam is contemplated."

The report is also also damning of the planned fish and turtle
ladders proposed for the dam, describing them as "speculative" and
unproven.

Mr Garrett issued a statement this morning welcoming the
"rigorous" environmental consideration being given to the dam.

"As Federal Environment Minister, my role is to assess the
potential impacts of this proposal on matters of national
environmental significance," Mr Garret said.

"I have noted the Premier's announcement and I certainly welcome
the rigorous consideration being given to the potential
environmental impacts of the dam by the Queensland Government.

"I will continue to exercise my responsibilities with regards to
this proposal diligently and in accordance with the national
environmental legislation."

The State Government announced yesterday that it would delay the
construction of the dam for several years to meet the conditions
necessary to rule out its environmental impact.